Health lamp socket



Patented June 28, 1932 UNrreD STATES PATENT oFicE LEROY C. DOANE, OF MERIDEN, CONNECTICUT, ASSIG-NOR TO THE MILLER COMPANY, F MERIDEN, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION OF CONNECTICUT HEALTH LAMP SOCKET Application filed August 29, 1929. Serial N0. 389,161.

The present invention relates to lamp sockets and is more particularly directed toward lamp sockets for supporting mercury are lamps of the type used in health lamps.

The present lamp socket is designed to permit easy insertion or remo-val of such mercury arc lamps from the supporting socket, and at the same time make the necessary electrical connections.

These lamps are constructed to have a single neutral or cathode terminal at one end and two separated ano-de terminals in the other end. The present socket contemplates an arrangement whereby the lamp may be bodily inserted in place to make the necessary connections to the three terminals without the employment of tools or other attaching means. Y

According to the present invention, a suitable rigid frame or holder is provided with openings to receive the lamp and suitable contacts are insulatively carried in these openings so as to cooperate with the terminals of the lamp when it is placed in the socket.

The accompanying drawing shows, for purposes of illustrating the present invention, one of the many possible embodiments in which it may tak-e form, it being understood that the drawing is illustrative of the invention ratherthan limiting the same.

In this drawing:

Figure 1 is a side elevational View of the lamp socket;

' v`Figure 2 is a vertical sectional View of the lamp socket showing the lamp in operating position in full lines and showing in dot and dash lines the position of the lamp during insertion;

' Figure 3 is a top plan view of the socket with the cap or cover plate removed, this View being taken in the 'direction of the arrow 3 of Figure 1; and

Figure 4 is an inverted plan View ofthe socket with the lower cap or cover plate removed, this view being taken in the direction of the arrow 4 of Figure 1.

The mercury arc lamp with which the construction herein shown is designed to be used, is in the form of a U tube indicated at 10.

It has a lower cathode terminal 11 adapted to be connected to the neutra-l of the supply source and two upper anode terminals 12 and 13 which are connected with the opposite legs of the current supply circuit. I

The socket frame is indicated at 15. It is in the form of a bar or strap of substantially rigid sheet metal such as aluminum. It is of channel shaped cross section, being bent to provide parallel upper and lower end members `16 and 17. The upper end member is provided with an elongated slot 18 adapted to receive the two anodes of the lamp, while the lower portion 17v is provided with a circular opening 19 to receive the lower terminal or cathode of the lamp. The slot and aperture are somewhat larger than the lamp terminals so as to prevent contact of the supporting frame with the lamp terminals.

The lower flange 17 carries an insulating terminal block 20 held in place by screws 20 threaded into inserts 20". The terminal block carries the connections for the electric circuit. These include av centrally located terminal 2 1 provided with a binding screw 22 threaded into an insert 22, as indicated. This terminal is in the form of a ring 23 having downwardly bent spring contacts or 1ingers 24 adapted t0 engage the lower terminal or cathode 11 of the lamp when it is in position.;

The terminal plate 20 also carries binding posts 25 and 26 to which the outside wires of the circuit are connected. These binding posts are connected to metal straps 27 and 28 which communicate with the upper terminals of the lamp. These straps are carried in notches or' recesses 29 in the terminal block 20 and extend upwardly to the rear of the frame member 15. They are separated from that member by an insulating strip 31. The upper ends 32 and 33 of the strips 28 may be riveted to conductor strips 34 and 35 as indicated at 34 and 35 in Figure 3. y These strips are carried in suitable recesses 36 and 37 in the upper terminal block 38 and extend over alongside the velongated slot or opening 39 in this terminal block. They are provided with upwardly extending spring contacts or lingers and 41 as indicated, these fingers being adapted to engage the anode terminals l2 and 13 of the mercury arc lamp.

The Lipper terminal block 88 is covered by a cap 42. The cap and block are secured to the frame by screws 43. The cap 42 is provided with an opening similar to the Opening in the terminal block 38. In order to accommodate the lamp, the lamp receiving openi-ngs in these upper insulating parts are provided with a flaring rear wall indicated at 44.

rlhe lower terminal plate 20 is covered by a removable cap 45 held in place by screws 46 threaded into the inserts 20". This cap has a recess or pocket 46 to receive the cathode and is closed at the lbottom to -support the lamp.

The straps -27 `and 28 are covered by a sheet of insulation 50 made of mica or other material, and these insulating strips and contacts .are covered by a protecting plate 51 4of sheet metal, preferably aluminum. This cover plate 5l is riveted to the trame member l5 as indicated at 52.

When the device is yto ybe wired, the Vlower cap 45 is removed 'and the wires of a three wire circuit are connected to the binding posts 22, 25 and 26. These wires are carried in through a wire-way :indicated at 53. The neutral wire is connected to the center post and the outside wires to the outside posts.

The vlamp may be inserted by passing the anode-s of the lamp through :the hole in "the upper part of the socket as indicated in the dot and dash lines of Figure 2. The lower terminal `or cathode of the llamp can then be moved down into` the recess 461and is held in the contacts. By l'thus placing the lamp, all the connections have been made and the lamp is ready for use. It is impossible yto improperly place the lamp in the socket or for one to accidentally come into Contact with any exposed lconducting parts.

It is obvious Ithat the invention may be embodied i-n many Jforms and constructionsl within the scope of the claims, and I wish it to be understood that the particular form shown is vbut one of the many forms. Various modifica-tions and changes being possible, l do not otherwise limit myself in any way with respect thereto.

VVhat is claimed is:

l. A socket Jfor mercury arc lamps having one cathode and two anodes, the socket having Va cathode receiving chamber provided with a contact device, and an opening at the other end through which the two an odes may be passed, the opening being provided with contacts engageable with the respective anodes.

2. A socket for mercury arc lamps of the type having a cathode terminal at one end and two anode terminals carried on the end of -a U-shaped tube, said socket comprising a cathode receptacle carrying a neutral contact, and an anode opening carrying a pair of anode contacts, the anode terminals being movable in the opening to permit insertion oiu the cathode terminal into the receptacle or its removal therefrom.

3. in a Socket for mercury arc lamps, an upper terminal block having` an opening adapted to receive the anodes of a two-anode mercury arc lamp and carrying contacts engageable with said anodes, a lower terminal block having a receptacle to receive the lamp cathode and a contact cooperable therewith, and a support for holding the blocks and contacts in hxed position.

4. A socket for mercury arc lamps compri-sing a frame carrying end terminal blocks, one block having a cathode receptacle .and cooperable contact, the other 'block having an anode opening and two anode contacts, the cathode receptacle being closed at the bottom, and the anode opening extending both upwardly and downwardly to permit the insertion of the anodes to an extent to allow the cathode of the lamp to be passed into the cathode receptacle.

.5. A socket for mercury arc lamps comprising a frame carrying end terminal blocks, one block having a cathode receptacle and cooperable contact, the other block having an anode opening and two anode contacts, the cathode receptacle being closed at the bottom, and `the anode opening extending both upwardly and downwardly to permit the insertion oi the anodes to an extent to allow the cathode of the lamp -to be passed into the-cathode receptacle, one of the lterminal lblocks carrying binding posts Vfor all the contacts, the iframe carrying connections from the binding posts -on one block to the contacts on the other block.

k6. A socket for mercury arc lamps comprising a frame carrying end terminal blocks, one block having a cathode receptacle and cooperable contact, the other block having an anode opening and two anode contacts, the cathode receptacle being closed at the 'bottom, and the anode opening extending both upwardly and downwardly to permit .the insertion of the anodes to an extent to allow the cathode of the lamp to be passed into the cathode receptacle, the block haring'the cathode receptacle having three binding posts, one of which is connected to the cathode terminal, the frame carrying insulated conductors leading from the other binding posts to the anode contacts. f

7. The combination with a mercuryarc lamp having a U-shaped upper portion carrying anode terminals and a downwardly eX- tending portion carrying a cathode termi-nal, of a socket for receiving and supporting the lamp and connecting it in circuit, said socket having a lower cathode receiving and supporting member and an upper anode accommodating member, and electrical Contact ice means carried by the members and eooperable with the respective terminals.

8. ln a socket for mercury are lamps, a frame carrying upper and lower parallel terminal blocks of insulating material, the upper block having a through opening adapted to receive the anodes of the lamp and aligned with a cathode receptacle in the lower block, a pair of anode supply contacts in the opening, and a cathode supply contact in the receptacle.

9. In a socket for mercury arc lamps, a frame carrying upper and lower parallel terminal blocks of insulating material, the upper block having a through opening adapted to receive the anodes oi the lamp and aligned with a cathode receptacle in the lower block, a pair of anode supply contacts in the opening, a cathode supply contact in the receptacle and insulated current supply leads from the anode contacts to the binding posts carried by the lower block.

10. A lamp socket for mercury arc lamps comprising a metal frame bent to have parallel end members, the lower member having a hole, while the upper member has an elongated slot, a lower block of insulating material secured to the lower end member and having a hole smaller than the hole in the lower end member, a spring contact carried by the lower block and adapted to engage a cathode, an upper block of insulating material secured to the upper member and having a slot smaller than the slot in the upper end member, and two spring contacts carried by the upper block and adapted to engage with the lamp anodes.

11. A lamp socket for mercury arc lamps comprising a metal frame bent to have parallel end members, the lower member having a hole, while the upper member has an elongated slot, a lower block of insulating material secured to the lower end member and having a hole smaller than the hole in the lower end member, a spring contact carried by the lower block and adapted to engage a cathode,

Van upper block or insulating material secured to the upper member and having a slot smaller than the slot in the upper end member, two spring contacts carried b y the upper block and adapted to engage with the lamp anodes, the contact extending away from the terminal blocks, and insulating caps secured to the blocks to cover the contacts and pro` tect the same, the upper cap having an opening to receive the anodes, the lower cap having a closed bottom to support the cathode.

1Q. A lamp socket for mercury are lamps comprising metal frame bent to have parallel end members, the lower member having a hole, while the upper member has an elongated slot, a lower block of insulating material secured to the lower end member and having a hole smaller than the hole in the lower end member, a spring contact carried by the lower block and adapted to engage a cathode, an upper block of insulating mate'- rial secured to the upper member and having.

a slot smaller .than the slot in the upper end member, and twospring contacts carried the upper block and adapted to engage with the lamp anodes, the latter mentioned spring contacts beingv on opposite sides of the slot adjacent ythe opposite ends thereof. l y

13. A lamp socket for mercury arc lamps comprising a metal frame bent to have parallel end members, the lower member' having a hole, while the upper member has an elongated slot, a lower block of insulating material securedA to thelower end member and having a hole smaller than the hole in the lower end member, a spring 'contact carried by the lower block and adapted to engage a cathode, an upper block of insulatingmaterial secured to the upper member and having a slot smaller than the slot in the upper end member, two spring contacts carried by the upper block and adapted to engage with the lamp anodes, and an insulating strip adjacent the outside of the vtrame, contact strips connected tothe upper spring contacts vand extending to the lower end of the frame, and an insulating cover for the contact strips.

14. A lamp socket for mercury arc lamps Comprising a metal frame bent to have parallel end members, anode and cathode contacts carried by the end members, and conductor strips extending from the anode terminals to adjacent the cathode terminal, the conductor strips and cathode terminal being provided with binding posts Jfor the attachment v of a three conductor cable.

15. A cathode terminal for a mercury arc lamp socket, comprising an apertured msulating block, a contact secured to the block and having a ring about the aperture, the metal inside the ring being bent outwardly to form spring fingers, and an insulating cap for the block, the cap having a. recess to receive the spring fingers.

16. A terminal assembly for mercury arc lamps, comprising an insulating block having an elongated slot therein adapted to receive the anodes of an arc lamp, and a pair of conductor strips carried by the block and having spring fingers disposed on opposite sides of the slot and engageable with the respective anodes.

17. A terminal assembly Jior mercury arc lamps, comprising an insulating block having an elongated slot therein adapted to receive the anodes of an arc lamp, a pair of conductor strips carried by the block and havingV spring lingers disposed on opposite sides of the slot and engageable with the respective anodes, and a cover plate slotted to receive the anodes and covering the spring contacts and conductor strips.

18. A terminal assembly tor mercury arc lamps, comprising an insulating block havlili! ing an elongated slot therein adapted to re- -cei-ve the ianodes of an .are lamp, a pair of Aconductor#strips'carried bythe block and having` spring fingers vdisposedon opposite vsides .5 of the slot and engagea-ble With the respective anodes, .and a cover plate slotted to receive the anodes and covering the spring contacts and conductor strips, the Slot in the cover plat-e extending in-one direction to perm mit tilting vthe lamp When inserting or remov- :the same.

19. In a lamp socket formercury arc lamps, an insulating :block having an elongated slot therein adapted to receive the anodes of an 71;, lare lamp, and a pair of conductor strips carried by the block and having spring fingers disposed-on opposite sides of the slot and engageahle with the respective anodes, and a cover plate slotted to receive the anodes and .f3 covering :the spring contacts and conductor strips, and a frame member to which the -'lo-lock is secured, the conductor strips extending alongside the frame member and being insulated therefrom.

0;, Signed at Meriden, in the county of New Haven 'and yState of Connecticut, this 27th day of August, 1929.

LEROY C. DOANE. 

